There is evidence to suggest that Monday’s breakout from the lockups at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court Complex – which resulted in one escapee being shot dead – was planned after prisoners realized that the metal bars and mesh on a ventilation window were not properly secured.
Two other escapees have been recaptured while one remains at large.
The absence of ranks who had gone to shelter from rain was also a contributing factor to the breakout which has raised security concerns as well as questions about the quality of materials that were used in the multimillion dollar rehabilitation of the court’s infrastructure. The project took more than two years to be completed.
Stabroek News was reliably informed yesterday that several weeks ago prisoners weakened the bars by pulling on them with their shirts. Based on what this newspaper was told, thin lengths of metal rods were used to make the horizontal bars on the ventilation window and these may not have been secured properly into the concrete. It was explained that the constant pulling on the bars weakened them making it very easy for them to be removed. The mesh that was used over the bars, persons at the court opined, was inadequate as what was needed was metal grill work similar to what was placed over the other windows on the building.
As the police began an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the escape, a third prisoner was pulled out from beneath a bed by ranks early yesterday morning.
Police said in a press release that around 0115 hours, armed robbery accused Randolph Marks was recaptured by the police in a house at Freeman Street,
